The Lion King One-shots [Volume Two]

My Blood

With each step he took, the steep walls of the damp tunnel echoed back his every breath, almost like it was mocking his courage. He kept up his steady, wary pace as he forced his emerald eyes to scan the shadowy ledges and caverns surrounding him. 

There were creatures that lived in this great tunnel. Blood-thirsty creatures with crazy senses that could penetrate the darkness with brisk ease. Creatures that had lived in the shadows for so long, they'd made it their home. But it wasn't just their home. The splintered bones scattered across the uneven floor of the cave reminded Kovu that this was also their hunting grounds. And there weren't any signs of mercy.

Kovu's intense mother had forced him into this dreadful experience, claiming it was part of his training, which seemed to be growing more and more outrageous as the adolescent grew older. Of course, Kovu had tried to object. Zira wasn't one to back down though. She firmly reminded him that the clan's goal of retaking Scar's thrown required dedication and hard work and if he couldn't handle it then he would never achieve his full potential. So of course, there he was, trekking through an endless tunnel inhabited by known cub eaters. 

He tried not to think about his situation as he maneuvered the scattered rock piles and random splits in the floor. Not thinking about flesh-craving creatures when you spot a pebble skidding down the rock walls and recall that you're trespassing can be difficult. 

Kovu stopped in his tracks and traced his eyes back up the pebbles path but his eyes saw nothing but pure darkness. Then came a low, spine-chilling growl that filled every crevice of the cave and reverberated through his very soul.

"Why?" Kovu softly exhaled. 

More growls started to sound throughout the lofty cliffs above the young lion's head. Suddenly stealth was no longer an option. He listened as several groups of claws scratching down rock began to buzz all around him from the towering cave walls. 

He whirled around, watching as dark figures from beyond the pathway began to emerge and creep into his sightline. Kovu carefully started backing up, one paw at a time as he watched what the creatures were doing. He decided running may not be his best option, for as soon as he turned around, one of them would surely pounce.

Kovu bared his pearly, white teeth and let out his own warning snarl as he continued backing away from the advancing figures he could still barely make out. As far as he was concerned, he was completely out of options and his brutal death was now moments away. He wondered if his mother would even care that her son was gone as he felt the pulsing adrenaline ride through his veins.

Then something unexpected happened. Out of nowhere, a pale, slim lioness leapt down from the dripping tunnel walls and landed elegantly beside Kovu. Fearlessly she took a step ahead of him and let out a growl that surged into a roar. She lashed out her clawed paws into the shadows and something in the darkness yelped in surprise. The lioness whipped around to face him. 

"Run!" she swiftly whispered at the same moment that Kovu realized it was his sister.

Kovu didn't miss a beat and shoved his whole weight forward with as much power as he could send to his back legs. He pushed his muscles to gain speed as he felt the wind of his movement blow through his mane. He booked it, barely seeing the blur of Vitani in the corner of his eye. 

She actually began to get ahead of him and he watched as she sent her electric gaze up the rocky walls of the cave. Kovu saw the thrill of the chase in Vitani's eyes as she pondered ways to outsmart their enemy at the same time that she was trying to escape them. He wished he was as joyful about this as she was. 

A heavy rock falling from above caught his attention and brought his mind back to the current danger. Were the creatures throwing things now? Kovu pushed himself harder, hoping one of those boulders didn't squash him into the solid stone ground. That would definitely mean death.

He shot a glance back towards the creatures.

"I can see the light!" Vitani called out. 

Kovu returned his eyes forward to see Vitani swerve a huge rock stack in front of them. He overcorrected and hit the wall shoulder-first, crashing down. The moist ground trembled and shook underneath him. As he stood to his paws he felt the whole floor shift. The tunnel seemed to be crumbling around him.

Rocks of every size tumbled down from the ceiling, letting warm sunlight filter into the shadowy cave for the first time ever. The cave ground cracked in half, the darkest side giving away and sending several of the creatures falling down into an even darker abyss. The ones that were left became furious, hissing and snarling at Kovu with beady eyes.

"Oh, just great," Kovu sighed.

The ground trembled and shifted again, lowering it even more than before. Kovu looked up to the rest of the floor toward the cave exit and saw that it was still sturdy and in the place where it belonged. On the edge of the higher ground stood Vitani, watching over the whole scene with wide, wild eyes.

"Vitani!" Kovu cried out. "I can't make that jump!"

"I got you, just hold your ground!" she called back.

Kovu's stomach sunk as he watched her disappear from view. The anger crazed creatures were crawling towards him once again, mouths foaming and roaring. Kovu growled back and called, "I will fight you if I have to!"

None of them replied, but they just kept coming. He actually wasn't so keen on the idea of holding his ground against these creepy maniacs that surely wanted to end him. But as they drew closer he realized he didn't really have a choice.

Vitani slid down the upper cliff and dropped down beside her brother, eyeing the creatures before letting out a fierce roar. She then swiveled her head and addressed Kovu.

"There's no way out, except the boulder behind them! We have to fight," Vitani told him. 

Kovu sighed and shook his head, "Then we fight,"

Vitani smiled at him.

"We don't need to run," she said. "We are strong enough to take them down, together."

The two faced their enemies and let out two more echoing roars before they advanced themselves. Together, they took out creatures that far out numbered them, bringing them down triumphantly. They dominated the blood-thirsty creatures that had mostly become blind because of the sudden light filling the cave, taking them down like it was a competition. 

Suddenly, finally, the siblings were the last ones standing. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Images of a shadowy cave and falling boulders reeled through Vitani's mind as she felt the cold rain drip down her soaked fur. She looked past her drooping bangs and watched her brother, standing strong and stern beside the princess. No longer was he a frightened teenager, blindly obeying Zira's will. He was still faced with snarling beasts just the same but this time they were his own pride. 

Vitani was resentful just a moment before when Kovu dared interrupt their victory. But now the memories of standing by him all that time ago, wetness, adrenaline, claws and teeth bared, it was no different. She was reconsidering. 

"Vitani! Now!" her mother called, a toothy smirk on her wicked face. 

Vitani had a choice. One she was incredibly conflicted over. She could stand by her brother, the one who always had her back. Or she could stand by Zira and the bloody-thirsty creatures. 

"No, mother" Vitani broke the silence. "Kiara's right."

Shocked silent, her pride watched as she left their midst to stand next to brother. Everything stood painfully still, waiting.  

"Enough," Vitani finished with a firm nod.

Kovu sent her a smile when they met eyes. 

"Why so surprised, my brother?" she asked "How could you be? I'll always stay with my blood."